David E. Cameron

David’s practice centers on water rights in California. He helps clients secure, protect and defend those rights through litigation, administrative proceedings and strategic counsel. His work also addresses the purchase and sale of water rights, water banking and compliance with the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA).

David represents clients in state and federal courts and in proceedings before the State Water Resources Control Board. His practice extends to related environmental and endangered species issues under CEQA, NEPA and the ESA, as well as transactional water matters, including investor due diligence. He also serves as general counsel to public agencies. His clients include water and irrigation districts, cities, counties, investors, lenders and agricultural interests of varying sizes.

• Represent public agency to obtain increased water diversions from watercourse in Southern California. 
• Defending Groundwater Sustainability Agencies against challenge to Groundwater Sustainability Plan under SGMA in action by various environmental groups. 
• Represent water users against challenge to conversion of CVP water service contracts to repayment contracts. 
• Represent public agency at the State Water Resources Control Board in proceeding to obtain new water right on the Kern River.
• Represented public agency in successful defense of Environmental Impact Report for a new water right on the Kern River. (Buena Vista Water Storage District v. Kern Water Bank Authority(2022) 76 Cal.App.5th 576.)
• Successfully defended groundwater ordinance in Siskiyou County Superior Court on grounds of waste and unreasonable use and recognizing a County's retained police powers over groundwater under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act.
• Represented County in successful settlement of long-term hydropower revenue sharing agreement.  
• Invalidated public agency's groundwater ordinance on appeal on grounds that it was not adopted pursuant to the proper statutory procedure. (Gomes v. Mendocino Community Services District(2019) 35 Cal.App.5th 249.)   Subsequently assisted trial counsel with successful recovery of all related attorneys' fees. 
• Assisted in appeal that established farmers receiving water from an irrigation district have an equitable and beneficial interest in water service. (Abatti v. Imperial Irrigation Dist.(2020) 52 Cal. App. 5th 236.)
• Prevailed in defense of temporary restraining order, preliminary injunction and petition under CEQA regarding introduction of water quality in the Friant-Kern Canal.  
• Assisted in the successful defense of a water district against CEQA challenges, and obtained denial of award of attorneys’ fees.
• Obtained preliminary injunction against a large water user that pumped in excess of its decreed rights.  Also obtained denial of a writ of supersedeas and denial of appeal, preserving trial court’s injunction.
• Obtained successful settlement for landowners in protracted litigation against groundwater bank involving well interference and unlawful extraction of native supplies.
• Defeated CEQA challenge regarding approval of routine water district operations.

• J.D., University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law
• B.A., University of California at Berkeley

• 2025, 2026 Best Lawyers In America®
• Super Lawyers, Northern California Rising Star, Environmental Litigation and Environmental Law, 2014-2021
• Water Education Foundation, Water Leaders Fellowship, Class of 2021
• Order of the Coif
• Traynor Honor Society
• Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society

• Association of California Water Agencies, Legal Affairs Committee
• Sacramento County Bar Association, Environmental Law Section
• California Lawyers Association, Environmental Law Section
• Groundwater Resources Association
• Pro Bono Recognition from Legal Services of Northern California (LSNC) for support provided to Butte County residents following 2018 Camp Fire
• California Water Law & Policy Reporter, Contributing Author